.494 winning percentage, including two playoff appearances. Russell returned to television as a game analyst for NBA on CBS and later TBS in the 1980s. Russell once told the Sacramento Bee newspaper that he was never com- fortable with T.V. broadcasting, “The most successful television is done in eight-second thoughts, and the things I know about basketball, motivation, and people go deeper than that.” In 1987, Russell returned to the NBA as head coach and general man- ager of the Sacramento Kings. Russell lasted as the Kings head coach for 58 games, compiling a 17-41 record when he resigned as head coach. Russell spent the last few decades living in his home in Mercer Island, WA. He played golf, did speaking engage- ments, had acting cameos such as in the 1980s TV show “Miami Vice,” and authored two books. Due to the urging of NBA Commissioner the late David Stern, Russell participated in more NBA events over the years, such as All-Star Weekend and the NBA Finals. He served as the game’s elder statesman and enjoyed relationships with some of the most recent stars, such as the late Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett. In 2021, Russell decided to auction over 400 personal items and memora- bilia. He traveled to Boston to observe the auction. A professional auctioneer placed 429 lots for sale inside TD Gar- den’s Legends suite. Russell’s memora- bilia netted $7.4 million, with proceeds benefiting two charities: MENTOR, a Boston-based non-profit co-founded by Russell that aims to strengthen mentor- ing relationships, and Boston Celtics United for Social Justice, which fights racial injustice and social inequities in the Greater Boston area. Brother Bill Russell is preceded in death by his parents; son William Jr.; brother Charles L. Russell; his first wife, the former Rose Swisher; and third wife Marilyn Nault. He is survived by his wife, Jeanine Fiorito, daughter Karen, and son Jacob.
December 1975 issue of the Kappa Alpha Psi Journal.
Source IHQ. Before computers, databases, and cloud computing, IHQ maintained membership records typed on 3”x5” index cards stored alphbetically by chapter in file cabinets. Above is the membership record card for Bill Russell.
Source @therealBillRussell.
THE JOURNAL ♦ SPRING 2022
PUBLISHING ACHIEVEMENT IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR
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